Rollback closure for tightly sealing openings especially of ships

ABSTRACT

Hatch closure consisting of a series of uniform closure elements. Each closure element has, fastened to each end thereof, a linkage member so designed that, pursuant to rolling back, the weight of the rolled back closure portion rests on the linkage members and their supports, and not on the body or gaskets of the closure elements.

uited States Patent 1 Bauer et a1.

ROLLBACK CLOSURE FOR TIGIITLY SEALING OPENINGS ESPECIALLY OF SHIPS Inventors: Ralf Bauer, Warnemunde; Wilfred w H3& !!r wl!1 Rostock; Udo Rohr, Karntnerstrasse 24, Rostock; Friedrich Silge,

Rostock, all of Germany Assignee: Veb Warnowwerft Warnemunde,

Filed:

Warnemunde, Germany March 2,1971

App]. No.: 123,640

US. Cl ..l14/202, 160/133 Int. Cl. ..B63b 19/20 Field of Search l 14/201-203;

[ 1 Jan. 23, 1973 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,579,915 4/1926 Cornell ..l60/l 33 3,325,817 6/1967 Olsson ..1 14/202 Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant ExaminerE. R. Kazenske AttorneyNolte & Nolte [57] ABSTRACT Hatch closure consisting of a series of uniform closure elements. Each closure element has, fastened to each end thereof, a linkage member so designed that, pursuant to rolling back, the weight of the rolled back closure portion rests on the linkage members and their supports, and not on the body or gaskets of the closure elements.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN23 I973 3.712.258

2 INVEN RS RALF BAUER FRED LORENZ uoo ROHR FRIEDRICH SILGE ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JAN 23 I973 SHEET 2 OF 3 DOE m wt

INVENTORS RALF BAUER WILFRE D LORENZ uoo RUHR FREDRICH 'sILsE 77%1? 97% ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJAN23 ma SHEET 3 0F 3 INVENTORS RALF BAUER WILFRE D LORENZ UDO ROHR FREDRICH SILGE ATTORNEYS I ROLLBACK CLOSURE FOR TIGIITLY SEALING OPENINGS ESPECIALLY OF SHIPS BACKGROUND AND NATURE OF THE INVENTION.

Until recently the opening and closing of hatches depended on provision of stationary drum structures, which were expensive and space consuming and the operation of which caused excessive wear and tear of the closure units. More recently, structures have been designed for rollback operations dispensing with the former stationary drum structures but the constructions still were complex and conducive to rapid deterioration of the closure.

To some extent, these drawbacks of former construe tions are shared by a recently developed device wherein closure elements have a flange on each end, these flanges being so designed that the rollback operation causes pivots between the flanges to lie on an Archimedian spiral and to fix their closure elements in corresponding positions. The rolled back closure elements of this construction rest with their complete weight on an underlying closure element, which still rests on the wall of the hatch. The line of engagement between this underlying element and the wall of the hatch is not in the same vertical plane as the pivots of the flanges; as a result the weight of the rolled back closure portion causes serious bending stress on the underlying closure element. The construction also is expensive with regard to provisions for placing and holding the closure elements in predetermined positions, particularly since the flanges are integral with the closure element itself.

These difficulties and drawbacks are avoided by means of the new hatch closure. It is a purpose hereof to provide a new structural relationship between hatch wall closure elements and linkage elements. When the new closure is rolled back, in part or entirely, the weight of the rolled back portion rests on the top edge of the hatch wall, through intermediate action of the linkage elements spirally rolled up on one another. Projections and recesses of these elements, which are needed to accurately fix them in proper position relative to one another, can be provided in manufacturing operations independent of the making or manipulation of the closure elements, which are only ultimately fastened to the linkage elements.

DRAWINGS the closure which-has not been rolled back but still is secured to the deck.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 55 in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 6 to 8 are perspective views of linkage elements for the new closure.

DETAILED CONSTRUCTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION Referring first to FIGS. I and 2, hatch 4 in deck D is surrounded by hatch wall 1 and can be covered by closure 2. The closure can be rolled back by force applied to a last closure element 3, which for this purpose has a drum 4 on each end, movable with element 3 when the drum is moved toward the left or the right, by a rope or chain schematically shown at 5 and 6. Integral with each drum 4 or rigidly secured thereto is a rigid polygonal plate 37 for actuation and positioning of linkage members 26, and one of these linkage members is secured to each end of each closure element 2. Several of these elements are shown in FIG. 2, where they are wound up on polygon 37. It will be noted that projections 29 of individual elements 26 and also of polygon 37 fit into recesses 30 of such elements. By engagement of these projections and recesses each linkage element 26 is placed in proper position when rolled back (also see FIGS. 6 to 8).

Referring now to FIGS. 3 to 5: End plates 25 of closure elements 2, 2 are rigidly connected to corresponding linkage elements 26 by pipe nipples 27, which may for example be welded thereto as shown. Linkage elements 26 are interconnected by pivot bolts 28. In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 4 each of these pivot bolts is rigidly connected with the corresponding link by a pin 32. As best shown in FIG. 3 each bolt 28 has a hold-down hook 31 which pursuant to closure of the hatch automatically engages an eye 33, mounted on top structure 1' of hatch wall 1 (also see FIG. 5). In order to provide for wear and tear and to eliminate inaccuracies of mutual adjustment, eyes 33 have adjustable abutments 34 to provide smooth but positive engagement between the eyes and books when the hatch is covered.

Referring again to FIG. 5, top structure 1' of batch wall 1 has apertures A which, when the hatch is closed, receive projections 29 of linkage elements 26, thereby securing those elements and indirectly the closure elements 2 against lateral shift or displacement.

As also shown in this figure, linkage elements 26 rest on shim or support members 36 (also see FIGS), while rolled up linkage elements 26 rest on the lowermost linkage elements. The closure elements 2, 2 are carried by the linkage elements but do not rest .on one another. The lowermost closure elements merely keep their conventional gaskets '17 in normal engagement with stationary gasket-engaging structures 17. While lowermost closure elements2 may additionally rest on the top edge 1' of hatch wall '1, as shown, the weight .of rolled up closure elements 2' can be fully supported through the system of linkage elements 2.6, 26 and shims 36, thereby avoiding bending stresses and corresponding difficulties that were formally encountered. The spacing 2" between closure elements 2 can be small, but is important for this invention. This spacing, and the closure-supporting contact 2.6" between links 26, 26', protects the entire closure from the stress, distortion, and excessive wear and tear, formerly -.en.- .countered.

In order to provide suitable, closure supportingcon- .tact,*the new links 26 (FIG. 6, 7 desirably have planar edgesurfaces 26" on the edges facing upwardsin the hatch-closing position, and similar surfaces 26" on the opposite edges. Desirably they also have bolt holes 28' closely fitting the interconnecting pivot bolts 28. In other respects, these links can be formed in many different ways. They may, for example, be formed alternately as flat links 26-A and forked links 26-8, the latter having forked segments at either end for reception of the flat links. It is also possible (FIG. 8) to use more or less uniform links 26X, each having a flat end (shown at left) and a forked end (at right). It will be understood that a variety of other modifications can be applied to the new link and closure structure.

What is claimed is:

1. A roll back closure for tightly sealing an opening, especially of a ships hatch structure, comprising: a series of long uniform box-formed closure elements; a linkage member for each end of each closure element; means for rigidly fastening each closure element to its linkage members; pivot means for pivoting one linkage member to the other; means for rolling back the linkage members and thereby the closure elements; and positioner means for keeping the linkage members on each side of the hatch in a single plane, to support the rolled back linkage members in said plane and thereby to support the long box-formed closure elements on the linkage members, without contact between walls of the box-formed closure elements.

2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said positioner means include projections on some of the linkage members and corresponding recesses on other linkage members.

3. A closure according to claim 1, also including latch means on the pivot means, and eyes on the hatch structure, for engagement with one another when the closure is closed.

4. A closure according to claim 3, further including adjustable counter-bearings for said eyes.

5. A closure according to claim 1, including support means disposed on the hatch structure for engagement by the linkage members.

6. A roll back closure for tightly sealing an opening, especially of a ships hatch structure, comprising: a series of long uniform box-formed closure elements which are hollow; a linkage member for each end of each closure element; means for rigidly fastening each closure element to its linkage members; pivot means for pivoting one linkage member to the other; means for rolling back the linkage members and thereby the closure elements; and positioner means for keeping the linkage members on each side of the hatch in a single plane, to support the rolled back linkage members in said plane and thereby the long box-formed closure elements on the linkage members, without contact between walls of the box-formed closure elements. 

1. A roll back closure for tightly sealing an opening, especially of a ship''s hatch structure, comprising: a series of long Uniform box-formed closure elements; a linkage member for each end of each closure element; means for rigidly fastening each closure element to its linkage members; pivot means for pivoting one linkage member to the other; means for rolling back the linkage members and thereby the closure elements; and positioner means for keeping the linkage members on each side of the hatch in a single plane, to support the rolled back linkage members in said plane and thereby to support the long box-formed closure elements on the linkage members, without contact between walls of the box-formed closure elements.
 2. A closure according to claim 1, wherein said positioner means include projections on some of the linkage members and corresponding recesses on other linkage members.
 3. A closure according to claim 1, also including latch means on the pivot means, and eyes on the hatch structure, for engagement with one another when the closure is closed.
 4. A closure according to claim 3, further including adjustable counter-bearings for said eyes.
 5. A closure according to claim 1, including support means disposed on the hatch structure for engagement by the linkage members.
 6. A roll back closure for tightly sealing an opening, especially of a ship''s hatch structure, comprising: a series of long uniform box-formed closure elements which are hollow; a linkage member for each end of each closure element; means for rigidly fastening each closure element to its linkage members; pivot means for pivoting one linkage member to the other; means for rolling back the linkage members and thereby the closure elements; and positioner means for keeping the linkage members on each side of the hatch in a single plane, to support the rolled back linkage members in said plane and thereby the long box-formed closure elements on the linkage members, without contact between walls of the box-formed closure elements. 